“I wouldn’t be happy if I were Putin” – a direct message from the Secretary General of NATO

NATO is increasingly convinced that Russia’s war of aggression is losing its effectiveness: Ukraine’s ability to use drones effectively has caused Russia great losses of men.

Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte said at a press conference after the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting on Friday that the Ukrainians have been “incredibly resourceful in their ability to innovate” in drone warfare and counter-drone technologies.

The drone strikes that reach deep into the interior of Russia have also been increased by the Russian president Vladimir Putin criticism in Russia. The economic slowdown also increases the war fatigue of ordinary Russians.

The situation also causes nervousness among the Russian elite. According to Bloomberg some of the Kremlin’s higher-ranking officials believe that the conflict has reached an impasse from which there is no clear way out.

Kauppalehti asked NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte whether Ukraine’s improved defense capability has weakened Putin’s position.

According to the Secretary General of NATO, the situation is turning in the right direction for Ukraine.

“This is amazing – this is what Ukrainians are doing.”

“So I wouldn’t be very happy if I were Putin today. I would never be happy if I were Putin, but especially in the last couple of weeks, because things are not going in the right direction,” Rutte answered.

Ending the war

Also the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland Elina Valtonen took a stand on Putin’s position after the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, when Iltalehti asked about it at a press conference held for the Finnish media.

Valtonen did not answer the question directly, but stated that the NATO countries want peace first.

“The most important thing is to say out loud that we want nothing more than peaceful coexistence with Russia.”

The foreign ministers of the NATO countries discussed in Helsingborg how Russia can be forced to end the war.

“I believe that this strategy implemented in the last four years – especially on the part of Europe, but actually as a federation as a whole – works. That is, we support Ukraine and put pressure on Russia,” Valtonen emphasized.

According to the foreign minister, there are now “at least weak indications that Russia might have a desire to end this special operation, which was supposed to last two weeks and which is now running for the fifth year”.

According to Valtonen, the weak indications are related to Russian economic figures, among other things.

Other references are directly related to the war situation, i.e. Ukraine’s military industrial capability, which enables Ukraine to “challenge Russia to the depths”.

“We also feel that in the bottom of the Gulf of Finland,” says Valtonen, referring to Ukraine’s successful drone attacks.

According to Valtonen, a weakened Russia would probably like to end the war.

“All of this leads to the fact that the broad analysis is that Russia would probably like to end the war. But of course Russia also needs a way out,” Valtonen said.

Kauppalehti asked Valtos, does the analysis also mean that Putin’s position is shaking?

The foreign minister did not directly want to take a stand on Putin’s position.

“I would like to state that we wish for a peaceful coexistence with Russia, and we wish for a future for Russia where people would be able to decide more about their own affairs and that people’s money would not be used for such pointless wars,” Valtonen said.

For this to be the case, it would practically mean a change in Russia’s current leadership.